Collapsible bed bath



Aug. 8, 1967 J. 5. HOXENG ETAL COLLAPSIBLE BED BATH 6 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed May 5, 1965 Mult- JUL/0N 5 Ho XEN 6 3527/44 J. Ma Cnery Caz/204.1.J2 C4 55 INVENTOZS ATT'O RMEYS Aug. 8, 1967 J. 5. HOXENG ETAL 3,334,360

COLLAPSIBLE BED BATH Fil y 6 5 Sheets-$heet L-t JUL/4N S, Hows/v685277-00 J. Mc (427V CHEQOLL CASS IN VENTOQS ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,334,360 COLLAPSIBLE BED BATH Julian S. Hoxeng, 1020 S. Elm,Moorhead, Minn. 56560; and Bertha J. McCarty and Carroll J. Cass, bothof 1903 Longwood Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90016 Filed May 3, 1965, Ser.No. 452,560 12 Claims. (Cl. 4177) This invention has to do generallywith bathing facilities for invalids and more particularly withcollapsible bathtubs for use in conjunction with a bed upon which aninvalid is supported.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved collapsiblebathtub including supporting framework for use in bathing invalidsconfined to bed.

Another object is to provide novel means readily capable of beingassembled about an invalid or patient in bed to provide a bathtubwhereby the patient or invalid can be partially submerged in waterwithout leaving the bed.

A further object is to provide a completely collapsible bathtubstructure of the type indicated which can be stored in a relativelysmall space when collapsed and which can be readily assembled anddisassembled by a single person.

Still another object is to provide a novel supporting structureindependently of a bed on which the invalid lies for partiallysupporting a bathtub made of flexible, water proof sheet material inposition on a bed.

These and other objects will be apparent from the drawings and thefollowing description. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of apparatus embodying the invention inpartially assembled condition with the bathtub member lying over a bed;

- FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the structure fullyassembled;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of one end of the apparatus, partly insection, but on a larger scale;

FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view of the flexible sheet of which the tubis formed and of the rails used therein;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view of one end of the device on the same scaleas FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional plan View on line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are sectional views on lines 8-8 and 9-9, respectively, ofFIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary isometric view of a modifica tion;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view on line 1111 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a sectional view on line 12-12 of FIG. 11, but on a largerscale.

More particularly describing the invention, in general the collapsiblebathtub and its supporting structure includes a bathtub 11 which isplaced on and has its lower wall resting upon -a bed 12 on which thepatient or invalid (not shown) rests. Numeral 14 generally designates atub-supporting frame which rests or stands upon the floor independentlyof the bed.

With reference to the tub-supporting frame 14, this comprises a pair ofupright posts 15 and a detachable top bar 16 connecting the same. Eachof the posts includes a floor plate 17 and this is preferably fittedwith glides 18 for convenience. Hingedly secured at 19 to the plate is alower post member 20 and this receives an upper post member 21 whichtelescopes therein. The lower member is provided with a series of holes23 in two of its opposite side walls, the holes in one wall being inregister with those in the other for the reception of a pin 24. The up-3,334,360 Patented Aug. 8, 1967 per member also has a series of similarholes 23- to adjust the height of the upper member 21 with respect tothe floor by limiting the distance it can telescope within the lowerpost member 20. Preferably the parts 20 and 21 are made of tubular stockwhich is substantially square in cross section.

The upper post member 21 is formed to provide a hanger 26 spacedsomewhat below its upper end. This comprises two triangular-shapedplates 27 welded or otherwies secured to opposite sides of member 21 andextending longitudinally thereof in a common plane. The plates areprovided with three integral upwardly concave ledges or supports 28which extend laterally with respect to the plane of the plates. As willlater appear, the hangers support the walls of the assembled tub.

When the parts are assembled the top bar 16 which comprises a mainsection 30 and two end sections 31 at right angles thereto, ispositioned to receive the upper ends of the upper post members 21.Preferably the top bar is made in two parts with a pin 32 in the end ofone fitting into the end of the other and the parts detachably securedby a catch 34.

The frame may also support an electric water pump 36 shown as havinghoses 37 and 38 attached to it.

The tub itself is formed in part of a flexible sheet of plastic orwaterproof fabric, designated generally by 36, which is generallyrectangular. The sheet is formed at each side to provide an open-endedhem 37. At each end the sheet is formed to provide two outer open-endedherns 38' and two inner herns 39, the inner herns being somewhat shorterthan the outer ones with' the fabric being recessed therebetween. Ateach corner a webbing strip 40 is provided which extends longitudinallybeyond the ends and each strip is provided with a grommet 41.

For the purpose of forming the sheet into a tub and suspending its upperedge from the tub-supporting frame, we provide two side rails 42 whichare preferably of substantially square tubular cross section. These arereceived in the hems 37, respectively. At their ends, the rails areprovided with closed end sections 43 and laterally projecting circularpins 44.

We also provide two end rails 45 which are shown as being formed oftubular stock of cylindrical cross section. These are received in theend herns of the tub sheet and in turn receive the pins 44 of the siderails. The end rails are provided with holes 47 adapted to recieveupwardly projecting pins 48 on the outermost ledges 28 of the hangers.

In the use of the apparatus, assuming that a patient or the same as isused in changing sheets on an invalids bed. Thus the tub sheet isdisposed beneath the invalid and over the bed much as is shown inFIG. 1. The side and end rails are then inserted and joined and the endrail supported upon the hangers 26. The ends 50 of the tub sheet arefolded around as shown in FIG. 6 and the webbing strips 40 secured tothe uprights by fitting them over an outstanding button-headed pin 52thereon. After this the tub may be filled partially with water by meansof a hose 38 from a suitable source. After the patient has been bathed apump 36 on the frame may be brought into operation to remove the waterfrom the tub through the hose. The tub and parts are then disassembled.

In FIGS. 10-12 we show a modification of the frame structure wherein aspecial post structure is provided at one end for use in straddling thehead end portion where it is impossible or impractical to place the poststructure beyond the head end of the bed, as where the bed is againstthe wall. In these figures, the frame is designated generally by numeral60 and this includes the top bar 16 and post 15, both of which are thesame as previously described, and a special dual post assembly 61. Thelatter is designed to straddle a bed and includes two lower post members62, these each being hingedly mounted on a foot plate 63. A U-shapedframe member 64 of tubular stock receives the posts in its legs 65,respectively, the arts telescoping and being adjustable by spacedregistering holes 66 and pins 67. The base of frame member 64 has acentrally disposed, upright 70 over which a hanger 71 fits, the latterhaving a center tube 72, triangular plates 73 and the upwardly concavehanger ledges 74. One end of the top bar 16 receives the upper portionof the center tube 72 of the hanger.

T-he tub is suspended from the frame 60 in the same manner as from theframe 14, however, in this case, the structure 61 straddles or bridgesthe bed near one end.

Although we have illustrated and described a preferred form of ourinvention, we contemplate that various changes and modifications can bemade therein without departing from the invention, the scope of which isindicated by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a collapsible bed bath for use in bathing an invalid in bed, abathtub formed of flexible sheet material folded to provide a bottomwall adapted to rest upon the bed, a pair of side walls and a pair ofend walls extending upwardly therefrom, rails secured to the upper edgeportions of said side and end walls, a tub-supporting frame standing onthe floor and including an upright post at each end free of the bed, ahanger on each post, said rails being detachably connected to andsupported by said hangers.

2. The collapsible bed bath set forth in claim 1 in which means isprovided to enable vertical adjustment of said hangers.

3. The collapsible bed bath set forth in claim 1 in which the posts ofthe tub-supporting frame each include a pair of telescoping members andmeans for securing the same in a selected telescoped position.

4. The collapsible bed bath set forth in claim 1 in which saidtub-supporting frame includes a top bar detachably connected to andextending between the upper ends of said posts.

5. In a tub-supporting frame, a post structure comprising a foot plate,a lower post member mounted at its lower end on said plate, an upperpost member, said post members being telescopically associated, meanscarried by one of said upper and lower post members for limiting thetelescopic relationship thereof to a selected amount, and a hangercarried by said upper post member, said hanger including plate meansextending laterally of the post member to two sides thereof and meansthereon providing a cradle-like support extending normal to the plane ofsaid plate means.

6. The post structure set forth in claim 5 in which said lower postmember is hingedly mounted on said foot plate.

7. In a tub-supporting frame for use as described, a pair of posts, eachpost including a foot plate, a lower post member hingedly mounted on theplate, an upper post member telescopically associated with the lowerpost member, and adjustable means limiting telescopic relation of theupper and lower post members, a top bar detachably connecting the upperends of said upper post members, and hanger means on each upper postmember, said hanger means, in each case, extending laterally of the postand including a cradle-like support means normal thereto, and extendingtoward the other post.

8. In a collapsible bed bath, a bathtub member formed of a generallyrectangular waterproof sheet having openended hems at its margins, railsreceived in said hems, said rails having means detachably securing thesame together at their adjacent ends, the rails at the ends of saidsheet being substantially shorter than the width of the sheet, and atub-supporting frame including an upright post at each end of thebathtub member and a top bar above the bathtub member connecting theupper ends of the posts, said posts each having a hanger including ahorizontal trough-like means receiving the rail at the adjacent end ofthe bathtub member whereby the edge portions of the bathtub member aresuspended from said frame.

9. The collapsible bed bath set forth in claim 8 in which the materialat each corner of the bathtub member is folded to form a double-walledflap and in which the flap is folded back upon the end wall of thebathtub member resulting from its suspension and is secured to saidframe.

10. A bathtub member comprising an elongated generally rectangularwaterproof sheet formed to provide an open-ended hem at each sidemargin, said sheet being formed to provide open-ended hem means at eachend thereof spaced inwardly a substantial distance from the sides of thesheet, and an apertured strap at each corner of the sheet'extendinglongitudinally thereof beyond its ends.

11. In a tub-supporting frame for use as described, a pair of poststructures, each post structure including a U-shaped frame with the legsthereof inverted, a pair of lower post members telescopically connectedto the said legs and having means for limiting telescoping thereof, anupright, centrally disposed, central post on said U-shapedframe, and ahanger carried by said central post, and a connecting bar extendingbetween the upper portions of said post structures.

12. In a tub-supporting frame having a post adapted to stand on thefloor at one end with a tub hanger means thereon, and having a top barextending laterally from the post, a dual post structure at the otherend of said frame and connected to said bar at a distance from saidpost, comprising a pair of laterally spaced lower post members, aU-shaped frame having its legs telescoped with said lower post members,respectively, said U-shaped frame having a horizontal main sectionbetween its legs provided with a centrally disposed upright, and a tubhanger detachably mounted on said upright, said top bar being detachablyconnected to said hanger.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 815,338 3/1906 Parish et al.2l1178 X 1,015,448 1/1912 Madden 211-177 X 3,172,539 3/1965 Rulf 211-177X 3,246,346 4/1966 Schmidt 4-177 FOREIGN PATENTS 104,977 5/ 1924Switzerland.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. I. GROSS, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A COLLAPSIBLE BED BATH FOR USE IN BATHING AN INVALID IN BED, ABATHTUB FORMED OF FLEXIBLE SHEET MATERIAL FOLDED TO PROVIDE A BOTTOMWALL ADAPTED TO REST UPON THE BED, A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS AND A PAIR OFEND WALLS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM, RAILS SECURED TO THE UPPER EDGEPORTIONS OF SAID SIDE AND END WALLS, A TUB-SUPPORTING